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13 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Early Talkie, Zombie Walkie!, 14 February 2001
Author: Son of Cathode from New England

This truly wonderful early horror talkie has much in common with the legendary WHITE ZOMBIE. Perhaps it was partly a formula of the time: "Race War in Creepy Voodoo Jungle." Yet this creepy and indelible flick has all the dreary atmosphere, the racial tension, and uncanny horror elements of Bela Lugosi's beloved shocker. Georgette Harvey takes what could have easily been a mere black stereotype of a backwoods Voodoo Priestess, and turns it into an astoundingly creepy, powerful and unique vision of hate and dementia and obsession. Despite the overdrawn histrionics (also a sign of the times) this film is scary, unreal, unearthly and lurid in the best sense of the word.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
sad end to a stunning directorial career, 28 April 2008
3/10
Author: kidboots from Australia

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Marshall Neilan was the "wiz kid" and "boy wonder" director of the 1920s. Even though he had been directing films since 1913 he was "officially" discovered by Mary Pickford and given his chance to direct her in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (1917). Then he was on his way. He loved good times and plenty of them and also like some other members of the film community he made an enemy of Louis B Mayer. High living caught up with Neilan and by the end of the 20s he was reduced to doing some uncredited directing in "Tanned Legs". Neilan only made a couple more films after Chloe although just before he died he won high praise for his role in "A Face in the Crowd" (1957).

Sadly, it was Olive Borden's last film. She had been considered one of the most beautiful actresses of the 20s, but she was also a victim of high living, though in Chloe, she still retained some of her beauty.

Chloe is coming back to her childhood home. Her "mammy" Mandy, is using voodoo to wreak vengeance on the rich family because she thinks the colonel killed her husband. Chloe can't reconcile to the fact that she may have "coloured" blood in her. After words with Jim, who says she will never find a "white" man to love her (he secretly loves her himself) Chloe falls into a crocodile infested swamp and is rescued by Wade Carson (Reed Howes). He also falls for her and she returns his love because he is the "white" man she has always dreamed about.

When the colonel goes to Mandy's cabin to confront her about some voodoo charms and a missing photo he finds a child's dress and shoes that belonged to his little daughter. She drowned in the river 15 years before and her body has never been found. After a few doubts it is proved that Chloe is the colonel's daughter and the way is clear for her to marry Wade. Chloe is the most racist person in the film. Even though she was raised and loved by Mandy, the black priestess, she has no reciprocal feelings for her - only feelings of fear and loathing. She seems to dislike Jim because he feels comfortable around the black people. He is quite the nicest person in the film, having risked his life for her several times but she doesn't have any friendly feelings for him. She is horrible.

This film does not resemble "White Zombie" in the least, except for the voodoo references - it has more in common with "Pinky" (1949).

Reed Howes, who had a long career (1923-1964) mostly uncredited parts - plays Wade Carson.

Molly O'Day sister of the better known Sally O'Neil, had her best role as Curley Boyle in "The Patent Leather Kid" (1927). She plays Joyce, the Colonel's daughter.

I can't recommend this film.

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8 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Movie has value from historical perspective, 26 July 2006
7/10
Author: miketritico from United States

I agree that the plot and presentation are flawed, however, there is value in seeing how some people perceived certain social situations during an earlier era in our history. Not all people at that time, of course, saw things the same way, nor would they have made the movie in the way that it was done, but I appreciate all the old films because each gives us a short look at things through other eyes.

As for the complaint that the NAACP would not like the film, I am not sure about that. Maybe they would see some value in the enhanced exposure of certain attitudes, maybe not.

Having grown up in Louisiana, I do think that the voodoo scenes were overdone and the man wrestling with an already dead alligator was pretty hokey, but I was pleased to see some clear water for a change. (I suspect that scene may have been filmed in Florida because by the 1930's we had pretty much ruined our bayous already.)

Mike

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Voodoo priestesses, hillbillies and racism...and yet the film STILL manages to be dull!!!, 1 March 2011
1/10
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This movie is part of a double-feature of dreck from Alpha Video. And, like most of Alpha's DVDs, the picture and sound quality is terrible...and there is no captioning of any type. The other film included is "The Devil's Daughter" and both films have the distinction of being in the Bottom 10 films in ratings from the 1930s! Imagine...both on the same DVD!! Can any human being survive seeing this much crappiness at one time?! Well, I am living proof that you can...but don't try this at home (at least until you'd got the okay from your doctor)! Unlike "The Devil's Daughter" (which had an all-black cast), the cast for "Chloe" has a mixed cast--something very unusual for the time. I am not sure if the film was intended for black theaters (this was during the pre-integration period where in most locales blacks and whites went to separate and definitely not equal theaters) or for widespread distribution. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about the company that made this film, Pinnacle Productions.

The main character of the film is a woman of supposed mixed race, Chloe. Who exactly her mother has been a mystery and she was found and raised by a black woman in the swamp. Frankly, the story is pretty confusing (parts appear to be missing and the DVD is almost 10 minutes shorter than the running time listed on IMDb) but the main gist of the story is that Chloe, despite being raised by and with black people, really, really wants to be 100% white. At the same time, the woman who raised her plans on using Chloe to exact revenge against the Colonel--a man she blames for the lynching of a family member. By the end, the Colonel claims Chloe is his long lost daughter and the woman that raised her denies it. All this is followed by a silly voodoo scene with lots of ignorant black folks dancing about and acting like stereotypes as they are about to sacrifice Chloe (how did it ever get to this scene from the last?!?!). She is saved and then learns the happy news that she is, in fact, not really one bit black and her foster mother had lied about this! And this, apparently, is supposed to be a happy ending!

The bottom line is that you've got a muddled story that manages to be boring, confusing AND racist! This is quite the feat. Combined with bad acting, poor direction and the usual horrible print from Alpha Video, I can't see why anyone would want to see it--especially since it's not even good as a 'bad movie'--though it is pretty funny to watch Chloe badly overact without even saying anything at the 48 minute mark!

This DVD deserves to be the recipient of some sort of animal cruelty award, as "The Devil's Daughter" features a real cock fight and in "Chloe" you get to see a guy kill a poor snake! Sure it was a rattlesnake, but to kill it for the audience's pleasure seems pretty nasty. Plus there was no point to this senseless act...just the pure joy of killing one of God's creatures.

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5 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Awful, 12 March 2008
Author: Michael_Elliott from Louisville, KY

Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934)

BOMB (out of 4)

Incredibly bad film and I'm really not sure what the hell it was suppose to be about. Chloe (Olive Borden), a mixed race girl, returns to the swamp with a voodoo priestess who might be her mother. The voodoo priestess then wants to use Chloe to kill the man who lynched her father. The side plot deals with Chloe not knowing if she should be black or white or something like that. The biggest issue with the film is that it's confusing as hell and nothing ever really happens. Everything leads up to a voodoo sacrifice, which is just downright silly. This didn't ever make it into theaters back in the day. Instead the producers would go around to black neighborhoods and show it. This was apparently done because it was a "black film" but perhaps they just didn't want people seeing something this bad.

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7 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
Winner of the "Birth of a Nation" Film Festival, 31 January 2007
2/10
Author: Hitchcoc from United States

It isn't just that it's the most racist movie I've seen in a long time. It's just not very good. You have major parts played by white actors. In black and white, they don't even look dark. Then you have the ridiculous premise where the woman of "white blood" has longings she just can't explain. She is tilting toward her whiteness. Of course, it's obvious who the superior race is here. They lounge with their juleps and order the servants around. The "hero" is a monumental jerk, but he is a white guy. There's lots of talk about the problems of mixing with other races and it's a given, of course. The blacks also dance around doing their voodoo rites, totally "out of control." It's up to the landholder and his rich friends to take care of them. Also, Chloe was raised and loved by these people, but when she is revealed as a one hundred percent white woman, well, you can imagine what they're thinking. I realize how unenlightened people were (and how hateful). But it must have been viewed as a horrible depiction, even back in the 30's. I know that there is an historical perspective that applies here. Maybe we should all see this kind of stuff once in a while.

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8 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Throwie this Chloe, 7 July 2001
2/10
Author: mike1964 from Franklin, VA

Awful, just awful story about a young white woman raised by a black voodoo woman. If the NAACP ever saw this they would throw a fit. There are white actors playing black with virtually no make-up. The actress playing Chloe is having a terrible life until she finds out she is really white.

Story is basically a rich old southern gentlemen lost his daughter when she was just a child. An old black woman lost her own daughter and kidnapped Chloe and raised her as her own. There is love interest and plotted revenge by the black voodoo woman, but in the end the father and daughter are reunited. No matter what the VHS advertisements say, this is not a lost classic nor even remotely close to a horror movie. Do not watch it.

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1 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Don't Answer!, 8 February 2009
2/10
Author: wes-connors from Earth

"A young woman of mixed parentage lives in the bayou, raised by a black voodoo priestess who looks to avenge the death of her husband, lynched by an angry white mob. As the tension rises due to the evil plans of the priestess, the young woman finds herself torn between two cultures. Hoping to break free from the control of the woman who raised her, the young woman finds she must confront the priestess in order to save her own life, as well as those the priestess intends to harm," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Voodoo… Hocus-pocus… Racist… Trash!

The most astonishing thing about "Chloe, Love Is Calling You" is that it was directed by Marshall Neilan. One of the most well-known filmmakers of the 1920s, Mr. Neilan's films were once eagerly anticipated. He was especially successful in partnership with Mary Pickford (see "Stella Maris"). Beautiful star Olive Borden ended her ten-year film career as "Chloe", unfortunately. It also offers a good look at handsome Reed Howes (as Wade) and handsome Philip Ober (as Jim), who was Vivian Vance's volatile husband (off-screen) during "I Love Lucy".

** Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934) Marshall Neilan ~ Olive Borden, Reed Howes, Philip Ober

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1 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Really quite boring, 21 November 2008
2/10
Author: TheFiendsThatPlagueThee from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I found this movie very difficult to follow and didn't find the story at all interesting. A woman returns to her childhood home where she falls into a crocodile infested swamp and is rescued by a handsome white man. An old black Voodoo priestess is wreaking havoc on Chloe's father, the Colonel, because she thinks he killed her husband in the past. Now Chloe wants to marry Wade but is worried that she might have some "colored" blood in her.

This film seems to have a lot of racism and racial stereotypes in it. The acting is below par and the plot line is confusing. It also drags on. I notice that some have compared this to "White Zombie" but the only real similarities I see are that they both involve Voodoo and both have a "silent" movie feel to them though they are both "talkies".

I have now watched this movie twice, hoping that I would see something more in it than I did the first time. Sadly, I didn't. Possibly it has some historical value, but it completely lacks any semblance of entertainment.

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